I was going to name this post “Beautifully frustrating” or “Frustratingly beautiful” but decided that frustrating was too negative of a term. What I’m getting at is sometimes, when I’m in a location or a situation where I’m convinced that I’ll get some great photographs, I just can’t seem to capture in the camera what I’m seeing in my head — the right combination of elements that I think would make a good photograph. Maybe they’re not there; more likely I’m just not seeing them.
Yesterday morning the temperature hovered in the low to mid teens and the air was totally still. An inch or two of fresh light snow covered the 20″ that we got last week (see That snow fun). The sun was intensely bright and the sky was clear and just as intensely blue. The air was filled with tiny sparkles. Since all exposed surfaces held a delicate white covering of what I thought to be hoar frost, I thought the sparkling was the formation of hoar frost from moisture remaining in the formerly warmer air as it met the approaching cold. (Note: I’m not a meteorologist so that thought might be totally bogus.) Regardless of what actually caused it, it created an exceptionally beautiful winter scene. So, of course, I grabbed my camera and went for a walk.
For a while I tried to take some close-up shots of the frost on branches, rocks, and any other object that caught my fancy. I wasn’t really happy with the results so I tried to get some views down the street that would capture the overall bright shiney feel of the moment. As I got close to the lake I could see that the cold air over the warm water was generating a heavy fog bank that almost prevented me from seeing the opposite shore. I went down to the shore to try to capture that but, of course, a fog bank is just a gray, lifeless image.
To add a focal point I walked further down the lake to where I could see some Tundra Swans and Canada Geese lazing in calm water. They added a little interest to the scene. In the harbor I was surprised to see three men ice fishing. Most of the lake is still open water, but the shallow, more protected harbor has enough ice for these eager fishermen. I only walked a short distance out onto the ice, preferring to wait for a thicker layer beneath my feet. Along parts of the shoreline not hidden in the fog, everything took on a silvery color, showing the extent of the frosty scene.
I walked for about 90 minutes and took quite a few pictures, but none of them really grabbed me. On the other hand, the walk itself was really beautiful and peaceful. Maybe my next venture out into the snow will generate some results that make me happy. If not, however, I suspect I’ll still enjoy the effort and the challenge of getting that elusive image. For a person who doesn’t like being cold it always amazes me how much I enjoy the winter. The images below, even if not some of my better efforts, still illustrate the kind of a morning it was.
For more winter photos, please see my latest book, Wisconsin in White: A Celebration of Winter.